Textiles Extension Associate Director honored with Distinguished Extension Award
In North Carolina, Melissa Sharp, Deputy CEO for Research and Development at The Textile Engine, is driving a revolution in the textile industry. Her work focuses on sustainable innovation, with a particular emphasis on new materials and processes.
At the heart of her efforts is a collaboration between The Textile Engine and North Carolina State University (NC State). Sharp is leading research to develop regenerative materials from plant and microbial sources, transforming these into fibers and textiles. Another key initiative is the creation of a circularity consortium, which brings together product designers, researchers, manufacturers, and textile waste collectors to overcome the challenges of circularity in the textile industry.
Recognition for Sharp's work has been forthcoming. NC State has honoured her three times with the Outstanding Extension Award, making her a nominee for induction into the Academy of Outstanding Faculty in Extension and Engagement. Andre West, ZTE director, wrote a letter supporting Sharp's nomination, praising her collaborative approach that helped secure over $435,000 in industry funding for NC State initiatives.
Sharp's influence extends beyond The Textile Engine. She was the university's lead representative in a successful proposal to create the Textile Innovation Engine, a non-profit organisation dedicated to accelerating sustainable textile industry innovation. The Engine has onboarded six new research and development projects focused on sustainable textile innovation in North Carolina.
One of these projects, Hilando Oportunidades, partners NC State with a dozen companies in Central America to provide textile industry careers for students across northern Honduras. The initiative fostered career development for over 1,000 students during the grant period.
Sharp's commitment to sustainability is also evident in her work with the Hemp Consortium. She helped facilitate a new Hemp Consortium in North Carolina to build a robust supply chain for hemp fiber. The funding secured will update the curriculum at more than 100 high schools across the state, developing the textile industry's next-generation workforce.
The Textile Innovation Engine's goal is to accelerate the speed at which research develops into real-life concepts. With Sharp at the helm, it is well on its way to achieving this goal, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to addressing real-world challenges, promoting economic development, and fostering sustainability.
- Melissa Sharp, the Deputy CEO for Research and Development at The Textile Engine, is spearheading a revolution in the textile industry, focusing on sustainable innovation, particularly new materials and processes.
- Sharp is collaborating with North Carolina State University (NC State) to develop regenerative materials from plant and microbial sources, turning them into fibers and textiles.
- Another initiative led by Sharp is the creation of a circularity consortium, bringing together various stakeholders to tackle circularity challenges in the textile industry.
- Sharp's work has earned her multiple Outstanding Extension Awards from NC State and a nomination for induction into the Academy of Outstanding Faculty in Extension and Engagement.
- Sharp's influence extends beyond The Textile Engine, as she helped create the Textile Innovation Engine, a non-profit organization promoting sustainable textile industry innovation in North Carolina.
- Sharp is also involved in the Hemp Consortium, helping to establish a robust supply chain for hemp fiber and update textile industry curriculum in more than 100 high schools across North Carolina, fostering education-and-self-development and the next-generation workforce in business, technology, design, and finance, contributing to a sustainable lifestyle and overall economic development.
